Sliver guide

ABSTRACT

A method and apparatus for guiding a continuous filament tow and two organic fiber slivers into draw rolls whereby an organic fiber sliver is between the continuous filament tow and each draw roll. A unitary guide, having two trumper-shaped sliver receiving apertures and a circular tow receiving aperture between the sliver receiving apertures, is used to effect the method using a conductive continuous filament tow.

United States Patent [1 1 Zimmermann, Jr.

[ SLIVER GUIDE [75] Inventor: Ernest H. Zimmermann, Jr.,

Webster, Mass.

[73] Assignee: Brunswick Corporation, Skokie, Ill.

[22] Filed: Sept. 17, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 398,012

[52] US. Cl 19/288; 19/243 [51] Int. Cl. D0ll-l 5/72 [58] Field of Search 19/287, 288, 289, 290,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 73,866 l/1868 Bachelder.... 19/157 1,848,667 3/1932 Scott 19/.25 X 2,640,664 6/1953 Porter 242/157 R X 2,689,098 9/1954 Shacklett et al. 242/157 R [451 July 22,1975

3,020,697 2/1962 Henry 19/288 X 3,394,541 7/1968 Rhyne.... 3,520,493 7/1970 Carroll 242/157 R FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 14,086 1905 United Kingdom 19/287 Primary ExaminerDorsey Newton Attorney, Agent, or Firm-John G. Heimovics; Donald S. Olexa; Sheldon L. Epstein [57] ABSTRACT A method and apparatus for guiding a continuous filament tow and two organic fiber slivers into draw rolls whereby an organic fiber sliver is between the continuous filament tow and each draw roll. A unitary guide, having two trumper-shaped sliver receiving apertures and a circular tow receiving aperture between the sliver receiving apertures, is used to effect the method using a conductive continuous filament tow.

7 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures SHEET saw PATENTEDJUL 22 I975 FIG. 3

SLIVER GUIDE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates generally to the processing of fiber slivers and more specifically to the processing of slivers having a conductive tow therein.

2. Description of the Prior Art In recent years. there has been concern about the reduction or dissipation of electrostatic charges which build up in fabrics. It is annoying to be shocked or jolted by static electrical discharges received after walking or scuffling across a carpet and then touching an electrical ground (i.e.. light switch. TV or water fau cet). This problem is more prevalent during periods of low temperature when the relative humidity in a heated building is low. The friction or interaction between two fabrics can also be a source of static electricity. For example. the interaction of a sheet and a blanket in a hospital may be dangerous when the frequent use of oxy gen is considered or the use of other explosive or flammable anesthetic gases. Similarly. in the hospital environment. the use of sophisticated electronic devices to monitor heart patients and others who are seriously ill may be adversely affected by error signals generated by static discharge.

Various antistatic fabrics have been proposed which incorporate a small quantity of metal filaments. An example of the metal filament antistatic textile fabric is taught by Klein in US Pat. No. 3,678,675, which is owned by the assignee of the herein disclosed invention. Klein produced a fine. heterogeneous hybrid spun yarn which is a blend of electrostatieally conductive staple fibers and electrostatically non-conductive staple fibers so that the yarn is conductive only over discrete lengths thereof. The produced yarn has been used to form a carpet structure which substantially eliminates electrostatic shock.

A method of blending antistatic yarn is also taught by Klein in US. Pat. No. 3,678,675. Klein teaches a yarn having discontinuous staple lengths of metal filaments uniformly interspersed therein. To prevent the occurrence of slubbing, Klein simultaneously draws a textile fiber sliver and a metal filament tow while controlling the tension forces upon the metal filaments in the tow, such that gradual breaking of the filaments in the tow occurs and the textile fiber sliver cushions the engagement of the draw rolls with the metal filament tow. Goodbar. et al.. in US Pat. No. 3,703,073, copies the Klein teaching.

The problems of slubbing are still present in the production of yarns containing staple lengths of metal filaments. Slubs frequently results when the initial set of draw rolls cut through the whole metal tow which can contain. for example. 300 filaments of 8 micron diameter each. instead of causing a gradual attenuation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a method and a guide for introducing a continuous filament tow and two organic fiber slivers into two draw rolls so that an organic fiber sliver is between the continuous filament tow and each of the draw rollers to prevent the formation of slubs therein. The guide is unitary and has two sliver receiving apertures and a a tow receiving aperture there between. The sliver receiving apertures are generally trumpet-shaped and have a generally circular inlet and a generally rectangular outlet of smaller cross-sectional area than the inlet. The tow receiving aperture may generally be circular and has a bushing insert less sus ceptible to the abrasion of a conductive metallic continuous filament tow. The center of the three receiving apertures lies in a single plane which is generally vertical and is perpendicular to the horizontal plane of the draw rolls. The continuous filament tow apertures center also lies in the horizontal plane, which is tangential to the bite of the draw rolls. The guide of the present invention provides maximum alignment and prevention of slubs by the sandwiching of the continuous filament metal tow between two organic fiber slivers upon introduction into the first pair of draw rolls.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION It is a primary object of the present invention to reduce a number of slubs in an antistatic fiber by sandwiching a metallic filament between two organic fiber slivers Another object of the invention is to provide an inexpensive guide which is easily attachable to standardyarn processing machinery.

A further object of the invention is to provide a three-apertured guide for proper alignment of two exterior slivers relative to center continuous filament tow for introduction into the yarn production equipment.

Further objects and features of the present invention will become more apparent and be more readily understood by reference to the following detailed description of the accompanying drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a plane view of a typical draw frame incorporating the guide and method of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the guide of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is atop view of the guide of the present invention'.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along lines 4--4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a cross-section taken along lines 5-5 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines 66 of FIG. 5.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to FIG. 1, the drawing frame indicated generally as 10 has four sets of paired draw rollers 11-14 journalled in bearings for rotation in frame members 15 and 16. The rollers 11-14 are driven by conventional means (not shown) in such a manner that each pair of rollers. starting from the point at which the slivers enter the draw rolls. travels faster than the previous pair of rolls. Also conventional is the fact that the pairs of rolls have increased number of teeth starting again from the point at which the slivers enter.

After passing through the set of rolls lll4. the slivers are transmitted through a tube 17 and gathered in a bin 18; Upon exiting the tube 17, the plurality of slivers (and fibers formed from the continuous filament tow) have been mixed or blended into a single sliver. Other known processing steps can then follow. such as by forming the single sliver into a yarn.

The draw frame depicted in FIG. 1 has ten slivers of organic fibers and two continuous filament tows combined together to form eight basic slivers introduced side-by-side into the draw rolls. The ten organic fibrous slivers are fed from respective supplies (not shown) through eight vertical partitions 19 having a general fan-shaped configuration. The example depicted in FIG. 1 shows two of the eight passages through the partition 19 having two organic fibrous slivers therein.

Located above the passages 20 are a plurality of continuous filament tow guides 21 having a generally looped shape. As shown in example in FIG. 1, two continuous filament tows are received in respective guides 21 which lie above the passages 20 in which two of the organic fiber slivers are received. A guide support 22 secured to frame members 15 and 16 have a plurality of holes 23 to receive a fastening means 24 to selectively attach thereto the guides of the present invention.

To produce a sandwich having the outer layers of organic fiber slivers and an interior layer of a continuous filament tow. a three-aperture guide (illustrated in FIGS. 2-4) was devised. The guide has two organic fiber sliver receiving apertures 31 and 32 and a continuous filament tow receiving aperture 33, located between the sliver receiving apertures 31 and 32. A planar surface 34 of guide 30 contains the generally circular inlets 35 and 36 of apertures 31 and 32. Generally rectangular outlets 37 and 38 of apertures 35 and 36 are connected to the inlets by body portion of diminishing cross-sectional areas 39 and 40, respectively. The outlets 37 and 38 are of smaller cross-sectional area than the inlets 35 and 36. Tow receiving aperture 33 has a constant cross-sectional area and has a length equal to that of the main body section. Tow receiving aperture 33 has a bushing 41 inserted therein which has a sleeve 42 extending to the aperture and a collar 43 abutting the planar surface 34 of the guide 30. The bushing 41 prevents the continuous filament tow from coming into direct contact with the guide 30 and limits abrasion of a metallic tow. The bushing may be an aluminum oxide-ceramic compound (for example. Henium or Alsimag) but any other suitable material which will reduce abrasion is acceptable. The guide 30 has a flange 44 extending perpendicularly from the planar surface 34 and includes a fastener receiving aperture 45.

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the guide 30 ispositioned in front of the draw rolls such that it receives two organic fiber slivers 50 and 60 and a continuous filament tow 55 through apertures 31, 32 and 33, respectively. Theorganic fiber slivers may be made from synthetic materials including nylon. acrilon. polyester and the like. as well as natural materials including wool. cotton. flax and the like. or any desired mixture thereof. The continuous filament tow may be made from materials including metal fibers (for example. those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,277,564 and 3,379,000, owned by the assignee hereof). organic fibers having electrostatic-ally conductive surface coatings thereon, or the like. The conductive tow used generally have a size range of approximately 25 microns to a range of two microns or less. The organic fibers generally have a size range of 0.11 Tex to 2 Tex. The continuous filament tow can have a rough. unmachined, unburnished and reentrant fracture-free outer surface which facilitates blending with the organic fiber slivers. Though the present guide 30 is disclosed for use with conductive. continuous filament tow. it may also be used to sandwich three diffcrent slivers wherein the sliver through the center aperture is to receive less abrasion from the draw rolls. The sandwich relationship between exterior slivers 50 and with the interior tow-5,5 is shown in FIG. 6.

Guide 30 is shown attached to guide support 22 by an L-shaped element 61 and two fastening means as shown in FIG. 5. The element 61 has an opening 62 therein to receive the fastener 63 which is also received in aperture 45 of guide 30. Fastener 24 is received in hole 23 of support 22 and in opening 64 of element 61. lt should be noted that opening 62 is larger than the diameter of the shaft of the fastening means 63 to allow horizontal adjustment of the guide relative to the support 22.

It has been found that for the most efficient operation of the blending of the two organic fibrous slivers 50 and 60 with a continuous filament tow 55, that the continuous filament tow 55 be introduced to the draw rolls 11 in a plane tangential to the bite of the pair of draw rolls. Thus. uponinstallation of the guide 30 to the guide support 22, fastener 63 is adjusted relative to opening 62 until the center line of tow receiving aperture 33 lies in a plane which is substantially tangential to the bite of the draw rolls 11.

As the sandwiched configuration of the two organic slivers 50 and 60 and the continuous filament tow 55 are drawn through the draw rolls ll-14, the organic fiber slivers 50 and 60 each lie between the continuous filament tow 55 and a respective corresponding draw roll 11. This sandwiched configuration acts to cushion the engagement of the rolls with the continuous filamentfiber 55 and prevents thetow from being cut by the rolls. Instead of cutting the tow. the roll breaking process breaks only for a few filaments at a time. Thus. the occurrence of slubs due to cutting of the continuous filament tow rarely occurs.

Though the present guide and method of forming a sandwiched configuration has been described in reference to a drawing machine. it may be used with other textile production machinery. such as weaving machines and spinning machines. Also, the specific shape of the three apertures in the guide are considered to be but by way of example only and the trumpet configuration of apertures 31 and 32 may vary to suit the specific use and circumstance of the guide as well as the configuration of aperture 33. The scope and spirit of the present invention are to be limited only by the appended claims attached hereto.

1 claim:

1. A unitary guide for two slivers and a continuous metal filament tow comprising:

an elongated body having two trumpet shaped sliver receiving apertures spaced apart. each sliver aperture being defined by a circular entrance and a rectangular exit:

a tow receiving aperture located on the body substantially halfway bctwecn the sliver receiving apertures and having a diameter smaller than the larger dimension of the rectangular exit of the sliver apertures; and

a ceramic insert adaptably mounted in the tow receiving aperture capable of preventing excessive wear of the tow aperture by the abrasive nature of the continuous metal filament tow passing therethrough.

2. A sliver guide as in claim 1 wherein the crosssectional area of the circular entrance of each sliver receiving aperture is greater than the cross-sectional area of the rectangular exit and the part of the body connecting the entrance and the exit of each sliver receiving aperture is of diminishing cross-sectional area.

3. A sliver guide as in claim 1 wherein the ceramic insert in said tow receiving aperture is generally circalar.

4. A sliver guide as in claim 3 wherein said ceramic insert comprises a sleeve portion extending through said tow receiving aperture and a collar portion abutting the tow receiving side of said tow receiving aperture.

5. A unitary sliver guide as in claim 1 wherein said body is generally planar;

said sliver receiving apertures inlets are in the plane of said body and outlets are in a plane generally parallel to said plane of said body; and

said tow receiving aperture is in a plane parallel to said body.

6. A unitary sliver guide as in claim 5 wherein the inlet of each trumpet shaped sliver receiving aperture has a larger cross-sectional area than the outlet.

7. A unitary sliver guide as in claim 1 wherein said body is metallic and includes an attachment aperture in said body for receiving a fastening means. 

1. A unitary guide for two slivers and a continuous metal filament tow comprising: an elongated body having two trumpet shaped sliver receiving apertures spaced apart, each sliver aperture being defined by a circular entrance and a rectangular exit; a tow receiving aperture located on the body substantially halfway between the sliver receiving apertures and having a diameter smaller than the larger dimension of the rectangular exit of the sliver apertures; and a ceramic insert adaptably mounted in the tow receiving aperture capable of preventing excessive wear of the tow aperture by the abrasive nature of the continuous metal filament tow passing therethrough.
 2. A sliver guide as in claim 1 wherein the cross-sectional area of the circular entrance of each sliver receiving aperture is greater than the cross-sectional area of the rectangular exit and the part of the body connecting the entrance and the exit of each sliver receiving aperture is of diminishing cross-sectional area.
 3. A sliver guide as in claim 1 wherein the ceramic insert in said tow receiving aperture is generally circular.
 4. A sliver guide as in claim 3 wherein said ceramic insert comprises a sleeve portion extending through said tow receiving aperture and a collar portion abutting the tow receiving side of said tow receiving aperture.
 5. A unitary sliver guide as in claim 1 wherein said body is generally planar; said sliver receiving apertures inlets are in the plane of said body and outlets are in a plane generally parallel to said plane of said body; and said tow receiving aperture is in a plane parallel to said body.
 6. A unitary sliver guide as in claim 5 wherein the inlet of each trumpet shaped sliver receiving aperture has a larger cross-sectional area than the outlet.
 7. A unitary sliver guide as in claim 1 wherein said body is metallic and includes an attachment aperture in said body for receiving a fastening means. 